Bowling pin elevating and resetting mechanism



NOV. 7, 1950 STRONG 2,528,560

BOWLING PIN ELEVATING AND RESETTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 9, '1949 2Sheets-Sheet l Earl 6. Strong l I] IL. 1/ 1 "/1 I11 11 1/11/11 I F lg,5. INVENTOR- Nov. 7, 1950 g E. G. STRONG 2,528,560

BOWLING PIN ELEVATING AND RESETTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 9, 1949 2Sheets-Sheet 2 F/g.3. Fig.4. 34

xi f 32- U Fig.6.

c ar/ 6. Strong IN V EN TOR.

Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOWLING PIN ELEVATINGAND RESETTIN G MECHANISM Earl G. Strong, Milan, Ohio ApplicationFebruary 9, 1949, Serial No. 75,432

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to bowling pin elevating and re-settingmechanisms for bowling alleys, and has more particular reference to animproved mechanism whereby each bowling pin may be set and retained in alowered operative position and automatically tripped and raised to aninoperative position out of the path of bowling balls rolled down thealley upon being struck by a previously rolled ball.

The present invention specifically relates to improvements upon the typeof bowling pin elevating and re-setting mechanism shown in my U. S.Letters Patent No. 2,207,643, dated July 9, 1940.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism ofthe above kind which is very free or sensitive in action, so as toinsure effiicent operation.

Another object is to provide means whereby the bowling pin will besubstantially vertically disposed when in both lowered operativeposition and raised inoperative position.

Still another object is to provide a mechanism of the above kind whichis simple and durable in construction, and which is composed of partsthat are easy and economical to manufacture and assemble.

The exact nature of the present invention, as well as more specificobjects and features thereof, will become apparent from the followingdescription when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing,in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a supporting frame providedwith bowling pinelevating and re-setting mechanisms constructed inaccordance with the present invention, the bowling pins being in loweredoperative position;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the construction shown in Figure1, with one of the bowling pins in raised inoperative position;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section, partly brokenaway, showing one of the bowling pin elevating and re-setting mechanismsmainli in side elevation, with the bowling pin illustrated in loweredoperative or set position by full lines and in raised inoperativeposition by dotted lines;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, partly in front elevation and partly insection, of the construction shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the position of partsimmediately before the upper section of the bowling pin rod is moved toposition the pivotal connection between the same and the plungerrearwardly past dead center to retain the bowling pin in loweredoperative or set position.

Referring in detail to the drawings, A indicates an elevated horizontalsupporting frame composed of substantially similar upper and lowersections 5 and 6 rigidly connected as at I in spaced parallel relation,and respectively composed of rearwardly diverging angle iron Sidemembers 8 and 9 rigidly connected by spaced transverse angle iron barsI0 and II disposed in parallel rela tion. The bars l0 and II arearranged in pairs, one above the other, and each pair thereof carriesone or more bowling pin elevating and re-setting mechanisms. As thesemechanisms are alike, description of one will suffice.

As shown more clearly in Figures 3 to 6 inclusive, each mechanismincludes a bowling pin rod composed of an upper section I2 having asocket I3 rigidly secured on its lower end, and a lower section I4having its upper end pivoted at -I5 within said socket to freely swingforwardly and rearwardly. The socket I3 is cut away at the front as atI6 so as to define a rear lip I! which limits rearward movement ofsection I4 to a point wherein the latter is nearly aligned with thesection I2, but permits said section I4 to remainvertical by assuming anangular relation to the section I2 when the latter is swung rearwardlyand upwardly to .a nearly horizontal rearwardly inclined position asshown in Figures 2 and 3. The lower portion ofrod section I4 extendsthrough a bowling pin I8 which is suitably secured thereon. The bar I Ihas a wide slot I9 in and opening through the'front edge of its horiezontal flange, and disposed within the slot is the ring member 20 of auniversal joint. The upper portion of rod section I2 extends freelythrough and is mounted in the ring member 20 upon a pin 2I for limitedlateral swinging and forward and rearward sliding movements. The ringmember 20 is pivotally mounted on bar II by means of pins 22 engaged inbearing blocks 23 bolted at 24 to the horizontal flange of bar I I atopposite sides of slot I9, so as to permit forward and rearward swingingof rod section I2. Below the universal joint, the rod section I2 extendsthrough the slot I 25 of an angular guide and stop bracket 26 flange ofbar Ill. As shown, the collar is mounted Having described the invention,what is claimed as new is: I 1. In combination with a bowling alley, asupporting frame mounted above the pin bed of the alley, said frameincludin spaced upper and lower transverse bars, a bowling pin rodcomare adjustable to secure proper alignment and working of the parts.Thearrangementiseuch that when the member 3! is pulled rearwardly, therod section I2 is swung downwardly and forwardly from the dotted lineposition of 8 to a Vertical position, at which time said rodsecposed ofan upper rod section, a socket secured on ,the lower'endof said upperrod" section and having a rear depending lip, and 'a' lower rod sectionhaving its upper end pivoted in said socket to freely swing forwardlyand rearwardly from and to said lip,'a bowling pin secured on the lowerportion of said lower rod section, a ring member pivoted on the lowerbar to tilt about a hori.-' zontalaxis transverse to the alley, theupper por- 1 tion of the lower rod section extendin through tion I2 isaligned with the'pivot at 21 and the stem '29 and is engaged with thebracket 26 at the lower end of slot 25'. Thus, if the pull on member 37is continued; the upper end of rod section I2 is moved slightly rearwardfrom the vertical position and caused to slide rearwardly on the pin 2ifrom the position of Figure 6 to that of Figure 5, the rod section I2rocking on the" bracket 26 at the lower end of slot 25 so as to causethe pivot at 21 to move rearwardly past dead center as shown. by fulllines in Figure 3,

Due'to the downwardpressure of spring 35, the 7 rod section I2 is heldin this position with the bowling pin I8 set in a vertical loweredposition upon the floor of the bowling alley. When the rod section I2 isswung forwardly, it is centered laterally by the tapered form of'thelower portion of slot 25, and the rod section M gravitates to remain ina vertioalp'osition soas to be contacted by lip l1. Should the set pini8v be struck by a bowling ball, the rod sections I2 and It will beswung rearwardly and upwardly as a unit, due to engagement of rodsection Id with lip Il, until the pivot at 2'! is moved forwardly pastdead' center. The spring will then quickly force the plunger 28, 29downwardly to accelerate the rearward and upward movement of rod sectionI2 said ring member and mounted in the latter for lateral swinging andforward and rearward sliding movements, a collar pivoted on the upperbar toitilt about a horizontal axis transverse to the alley, a plungerincluding a stem slidable through said collar and aforked head on'thelower end of said stem having the upper end of the up er, rod sectionpivoted therein upon atransverse a'Xis,'a helical compression springdisposed on the stem between the collar and the plunger head and actingto force the plunger downwardl and swing the upper rod section to raisethe bowling pin to an inoperative position when the pivotal and quicklyelevate the pin I8 .to an inoperative position abovethe path'of anybowling balls subsequently rolled down the alley. The pivot pins 22 aremovable in bearing blocks 23 to allow lateral movement of ring member20, and due to the tilting movement of rod section I2 on pin 2 I "andits lateral movement onthe pivot 21, the bowling pin 58 is allowedlimited lateral movement that permits it to strike neighboring bowlingpins as the rod section I2 swings up" to the wider portion of slot25;"As therod section l2 'continues 1:

to 'swingupwardly; it is centered laterally by the i of bowling ballsrolled down the alley' A loop 3'1 is connected to the endsof pivot 21and adapted 'for connection with means for simultaneously resetting allof the raised bowling pins, as generally disclosed in my above mentionedpatent;

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction,operation and advantages of the present invention will be readilyunderstood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. Modificationsand changes in details of construction are contemplated, such as fairlyfall within'the spirit and scope-ofthe' invention as claimed. 1

connection between the upper rod section and the plunger head is movedforwardly past dead center and toretain the rod and pin in a verticallowered position when said pivotal connection is moved rearwardly pastdead center, and a slotted guide and stop bracket carried by the lowerbar and having the upper rod section passing therethrough below the ringmember, the lower end wall of the slot of said bracket acting as afulcrum about which the upper rod section rocks to slide the .upper endof the same rearwardly relative to the ring member as said pivotalconnection moves rearwardly past dead center.

2 .-The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said bars havehorizontal flanges provided with slots within which the ring memberandcollar are disposed, the pivotal mounting of thering member and collarincluding bearing blocks adjustably mounted on-said flanges at oppositesides of said slots, and pivot pins carried by the ring member andcollar and engaged in said bearing blocks. l I I 3. The combinationdefined in claim Lin-combination with a member-connected to said pivotalconnection and operableto' move the latter rear wardly past dead'center.a

4. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the upper end of theupper rodsection is mounted in the plunger head for movement laterallyof the plunger'head, and wherein the slot of said guidebracketi stapered to its ends and of a width between its ends to allow lateralswinging,

of said upper rod section as it swings rearwardly;

and upwardly torais'etlie bowling pin. I EARL G. STRONG.

I REFERENCES orrnn v V a I The following referenfcesareof record in thefile of this patent: I UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 764,185Ferland July, 5, 190e 789,394 Thompson et al. May 9, 1905 2,207,643Strong July 9, 19 0 2,348,540 Hedenskoog- May 9-; 1944

